Method of and attachment for running-on knitted fabrics



July 28, 1931. R. H. LAWSON ET AL 7 1,816,309

METHOD OF AND ATTACHMENT FOR RUNNING-ON KNITTED FABRICS 5 Sh cs-Sheet l Filed May 14, 1930 7 Inveniofis RoZerZHLawson, eflz ihuwlw OZ 010333132,

R. H. LAWSON ET AL July 28, 1931.

METHOD OF AND ATTACHMENT FOR RUNNING-ON KNITTED FABRICS Filed May 14, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inveniovs; Ia'obez-iflLawson 12 Z'ZhuK'JIZ'EZOu/Zten Jul 28, 1931.

R. H. LAWSON ET AL METHOD OF AND ATTACHMENT FOR RUNNING-ON KNITTED FABRICS Filed May 14, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 l'rweniovs floberiHLa'wsqn flrihurlwdiouifap July 28, 1931. 1,816,809

METHOD OF AND ATTACHMENT FOR RUNNING-0N KNITTED FABRICS R. H. LAWSON ET AL Filed May 14, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheec' 4 I M H H HH W l l l F l I I U H I WmM Q 4 Inven/Zons: R0$erZHLawsoflh dilrihurNUZouZte W dil /Z38.

Patented July 28, 1931 UNITED ASTAV'QIES' PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT H. LAWSON, OF DAWTUCKET, AN D ARTHUR H. CLOUTIER, OF LONSDALE, RHODE knitted fabrics,

ISLAND, ASSIGNORS TO 'HEMIHILL COM A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS PANY, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND,

" mn'rnon or Am) ATTACHMENT FORFRUN NING-ON KNITTED FABRICS Application filed May 14,

This invention relates to method of and attachment or mechanism for running-on and especially hosiery;

In order that the principle of theinvention may be readily understood, we have disclosed in the accompanying drawings one embodiment of means constituting such attachment or mechanism, and the best mode known to use for practising the method of our invention and producing the resulting fabric structure.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a right hand end elevation of a circular hosiery knitting machme having our invention applied thereto;

Fig. 1a is a viewin elevation of themainpattern drum;

Fig. 2eis a front elevation of the head of said machine having our invention applled thereto; r Fig. plan and partly in horizontal section on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectiontaken through the needle cylinder and latch' rmg of said machine; v

' Fig. 5 is a detail ,in vertical section showing in feeding position the yarn guide or finger by which the yarns or threads for runningon, are delivered;

Fig. 6 is an inside elevation of part'of the .latch ring and representing the feeding of thetwo yarns or threads to the needles for Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the fabric structure at the running-on portion;

Fig- 8 is a diagram re resenting the feeding of the two yarn-s or t reads to the needle during running-on; and v I Fig. 9 is a further dia ram showing a plurality of positions of a high needle and of a low needle.

The purpose ofthe invention is to start. knitting upon bare'needles. While the mvention is shown as applied to a circular knitting machine having independent latch needles, it is evident that the invention may be practised 'upon many different types of knitting machines, whether circular or other wise constructed, and with manydifferent 3 is a View of "said machine partly inthereof,

1930. Serial No. 452,303.

structures of needles. Preferably the invention is practised with independent latch needles. We have chosen to illustrate the invention as applied to a circular hosiery ma- I ally inward selectively at desired times according to some stitch variation or pattern, whether as a part of a plating operation involving the use of a plurality of knitting threads or whether but a single thread is to be supplied.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the bed plate of the machine is represented at 1, the post usually employed in the Banner machine is indicated at 2, the cam carrier at 3, the needle cylinder at 4, and one of the narrowing pickers at 5. If the machine be for hosiery,rpreferably narrowing and widening pickers are employed in a manner not necessary to explain. .The needles are desirably latch needles and the needles of the two respective groups are indicated in Figs. 6 and 8 at 6 and 7, needles of the groups 6 also being indicated at Fig. 4. The latch ring is indicated at 8, it being desirably of the usual pivoted character, and is provided with a mouth piece or opening 9 into which the several yarn guides (herein iirdicated generally at 10 as five in number) are-moved in a manner well understood in theart, so that the proper yarn or thread (or plurality as for plating) may be fed at desired times, and yarn changes may be made in a manner not necessary to refer to in detail.

In practising our invention, we prefer I now-proceed to describe, and thereupon move While the division of the needles may be effected in difi'erent Ways, We preferably provide the followingconstruction.

Under ever other needle (namely, under the needles 6 we provide jacks 12 in the needle grooves, as shown most clearly in Fig.

I 4, and provide said jacks with suitable butts.

As herein shown, certain of the jacks (namely, those under the short butt needlw) are provided with long butts 13 and the resame I level.

, mainder of the jacks (namely, those under the long butt needles) are provided with short butts 14. This facilitates the in-movement of the jack cam hereinafter referred to. Means are provided to elevate the said jacks at the commencement of running-on so that the fully elevated needles take both yarns and the needles which are not elevated by said jacks take only the lower yarn, being at a high enough level to do so.

Referring torFigs. 1 to 4 inclusive, there is desirably provided a stationary jack cam 15 which acts upon all the jacks to elevate them slightly but not enough to cause them to elevate the needles to take either yarn. The purpose of said stationary jack .cam 15 is to insure the bringing of all the jacks to the Circumferentially beyond the stationary jack cam 15 is a movable jack cam 16 which (as here shown) is adapted to be I movably radially of the needle cylinder by pattern controlled means Herein for the purr pose, said-jack cam 16 is carried by a stem slidable in a housing or bracket 17. Said jack stem is pivoted at 18 to a lever 19 itself pivoted at 20, so thatin the movement of said lever the jack cam 16 is moved into and out of functioning relation to the jacks 12.. At its outer end the lever 19 is pivotally connected at 21 to a link 22, a coil spring 23 suitably connected to said lever and to said link being provided, tending in the connections. At its outer end said link 22 is pivotally connected at 23' to a bell crank lever 24 pivoted at 25 upon a bracket 26 on the framing or bed plate. The coil spring 27 suitably connected to said bell crank lever 24 and to the framing tends to move said bell crank in a contraclockwise direction viewing Fig. 2.

The lower arm of said crank lever is pivotally connected at 28 to a downwardly extending link 29 which at its lower end (as illustrated in Fig. 1) is pivotally connected at 30 to one end1of a lever 31 pivoted at 32 upon a bracket 33 attached to the framing.

I Said lever 31 bears at its inner end 34 upon a suitable cam 35 upon the usual pattern and stop motion member 36. Said cam 35 is of such length and is so positioned upon said wheel 36 that it causes the jack to prevent any loose play cam 16 to be drawn and the usual knitting is proceeded with, which may be plating or any other desired type of knitting;

We have stated that the jacks are placed under every other needle. Our invention is not limited in this respect, as said jacks may be placed under every other needle or every third needle or such other distributed needles as desired, so long as the principle of the invention is adhered to.

At the same time that the jack cam 16 is moved radially inward, the yarn finger 11 is moved downward into feeding position, that is, into the position shown in said Fig. 5.

Said yarn finger 11 is provided with two yarn or thread passages 37, 38' for feeding two yarns or threads A, B, respectively. The

yarn A, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8, being the upper yarn and the yarn B being .the lower yarn. Desirably at the same time that the jack cam 16 is moved into functioning position, the front stitch cam 39 is moved out of functioning position, so that none of the needles is raised by the front stitch cam, but the alternate needles are raised by the jack cam 16. The yarn B is fed at such a' low point( namely, through the bot tomof the yarn finger 11) that the needles not having jacks under. them are neyerther less at a sufficiently high level to-take the yarn B. Y

Any suitable means may be provided to move the front stitch cam 39 into and-out of functioning position. Herein we have represented in the following means. 1

As most clearlyshown inFig. 2, the front stitch cam 39 at its outer end is pivotally connected at 40 to a link 41 itself pivoted at, 42 to theupper arm of the bell crank lever-43, which is pivoted at 44 on the post or upright 2. To the lower arm of said bell crank lever 43 is pivotally connected at 45 an upright arm 46 which (as most clearly shown in Fig. 1) is pivotally connected at 47 to one arm of the lever 48 pivoted at 49. The opposite arm of said lever 48 bears at its toe or end 50 upon embodiment of the invention, the stitch camperiod out of functioning position is for four courses, but it is to be understood that any other suitable number of courses may be the period during which the jack cam 16 is in during the rst four courses at the commence- 5 ment of the knitting operation, the result is to produce the fabric shown in Fig. 7 and which we will now describe.

. In Fig. 7, we have indicated the knitting of four courses for the running on and one or 1 more courses thereafter, and have numbered these courses as first to fifth; I

In the first course, as is evident from Figs.

i 6, 8 and 9, the needles that are raised by jacks thereunder (namely, alternate needles) take bothyarns A, B';an'd"cast ofl' the old loops,

' The needles that are without jacks thereunder take the lower yarn B only and are not i raised high enough to cast ofi the old loops.

needles not having This action is continued through three complete courses, as clearly indicated in Fig. 7, so that the yarn A is floated back oi the jacks thereunder. The

yarn A is readily ed behind desired needles because the needles are forward hook needles,

as illustrated in Fig. 8. Upon the fourth course, as shown in'Fig. .7, the yarns are cast voflE' from those needles not having jacks there'- under, thus making tuck-stitches, as shown in said figure. At the endof the fourth course or such other number of courses as has been decided upon for the running-on operation, the yarn A is withdrawn from action. Thereupon knitting is continued in the usual manner. As shown in Fig. 7, another yarn G is substituted for the withdrawn yarn A, and the two yarns C, B are fed in plating relationwith preferably a greater tension upon one of the yarns than the other. Upon the conclusion of the running-on courses, any character of knitting may be resorted to, the knittingof two yarns in a plating rel tion being only one of many ways in which knitting may be continued after the complet'on of. the running-on courses. It is to be understood that the yarn A here disclosed as withdrawn may be continued in action instead of substituting the yarn C. a

As is clearlyevident from Figs. 6 and 8, the

that the described positions last tion being set forth in the'following claims. Claims 1. That method of commencing knitting upon bare needles which includes feeding two yarns; causing all of the needles to take one of said yarns; causing certain of said needles, recurrent throughout the series, to takev the other also of said yarns; causing said needles that take both said yarns to cast off the old loops in each course of a desired plurality of courses; causing those needles which take one yarn only to hold said taken yarn in each of a plurality of courses without casting off, and then to cast off the said yarn; and thereupon commencing regular knitting.

2. That method of commencing knitting upon bare needles, which includes feeding two yarns at substantiallythe same point;

causing all the needles to take one of said 'arns; causing certain of said needles, recurrent throughout the series, to take theother also of said yarns; causing said needles that take both said yarns to cast off the old loops in each course of a desired plurality of courses; causing those needles which take one yarn only to hold said taken yarn in eachof a plurality of courses without casting oif and then to cast off said yarn whereby tuck stitches are formed; withdrawing that yarn that was taken by. only certain needles and thereupon commencing regular knitting.

3. In a machine for commencing knitting upon bare needles, means to divide the needles into two groups of recurrent needles; Tneans to feed at substantially the same point two yarns to all of said needles and one yarn only to one of said groups of needles; means for casting oil the loops from that group of needles taking both yarns; means for causing the holding of the loops upon the other group of needles through a desired number of running-on courses,.and means for causing the casting off as tuck stitches of all the loops of said second group of needles.

4. In mechanism for commencing knitting upon bare needles, a series of needles, jacks for recurrent needles only, means forcausing sai jacks toelevate their needles for the upper yam 'A i fl t d b k f th l initial taking of the yarn, means" to feed two needles. The taking of both yarns by the ya that one g P 9 bare needles takes high needles 6 is indicated by four positions one P and the other group of b of one of the so called highneedles 6 in the needlestaxes both yarns and means castmg diagram Fig. 9, and the taking of only one Y yarn by the low needles 7 is indicated by'four,

. diifirent positions of one of the so-called low needles 7 in that figure. r 4

Having thus described one illustrative em.- bodiment of the invention. and the best mode known to me for practising themethod of the invention and producing the resulting fabric structure, it is to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for means initially to feed two yarns so that one purposes ofjlimitation, the scope of the invengroup of bare needles takes one of said yarns 130 n takes both of said yarns, and cooperating means whereby both yarns are cast ofi course by course at alternate needles, and both yarns are cast off at the remaining needles as tuck stitches at the end of a pluralit of courses, whereby thedesired plurality 0 running-on courses is provided.

6. In mechanism on'bare, needles a circular series of independent needles, jacks under "alternate needles only, a jack cam to act upon said jacks,

and means automatically to move said jack cams into and out of functioning position,

means for causing said jacks to elevate needles for the initial taking of yarn, means ini.-'

tially to feed two yarns sothat one group of bare needles takes one of said yarns only, and the other group of bare needles takes both of said yarns, and cooperating means whereby both yarns are cast off course by course at alternate needles,-and both yarns are cast ofi at the remaining needles Ias tuck stitches at theend of a plurality of courses, whereby the desired plurality of running-on courses is provided. 7 a

7. In mechanism for commencing knitting upon bare needles, a circular series of independent needles, aeks for recurrent needles only, means for causing said jacks to elevate their needles for the initial taking of yarn,

means initially to feed two yarns so that one L 7 group of bare needles takes one of said yarns only, and the other group of bare needles takes both of said yarns, and cam means for casting 011? both yarns at one group of needles course by course and for casting ofi one yarn at the other groupfof needles in the form of tuck stitches at the end of a desired plurality of courses, whereby'the desired plurality of running-on courses isprovidedyand means for then commencing regular knitting.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification. ROBERT H. LAWSON.

ARTHUR N. CLOUTIER.

and the other group of bare needles fiorcommencing knitting 

